Lights, Camera, Action!

Now that I've actually got some trains running around, I thought I'd go ahead and shoot a video of the layout in action. It follows an NS Freight from Altoona to Johnstown and back. In case you're wondering, the songs are "K4 Pacific," (which seemed very appropriate) and "Country Beaver," both by Gerry Mulligan from his album The Age of Steam.

Finished the Main Lines

Well it only took me three weeks but the two main lines glued down, wired up and operational. It's been a long tedious slog, but I'm glad I took the time to do it right. My trains run around flawlessly. Each main line loop is 136 feet long, a little more than four scale miles. It's realy neat to see full-length passenger trains and long frieghts run on the layout and seem like actually going somewhere instead of just around in circles. In fact, it takes the freight train nearly seven minutes to make a complete circuit!

All that remains for me to do in terms of track and wiring and are the staging yards, industrial sidings and a possible interchange. After that, it's time to dismantle the old layout and then I'll be building buildings for a while.

More Track Progress

PRR 1361 and N&W 611 pose at the current end of operable track. This will be the eastern portal of the Gallitzin Tunnel.

It only seemed appropriate for a K4 Pacific to be the first to round horseshoe Curve.

I got some more track laid. The westbound tracks are now complete from Altoona to Gallitzin and are wired up. The eastbound track are complete to Horseshoe Curve.

Currently, the layout is wired for cab control. However, in the future I may upgrade to DCC. When it comes to wiring, I'm not messing around. Feeder wire are connected to the tracks every six feet. This should minimize, if not eliminate those annoying dead zones that can crop up. I'm also color-coding my wiring. Don't do it any other way. It makes it much easier to hunt down a problem.

Started Laying Track

Part of my order of track arrived today. I've manged to get part of the Altoona reversing loop laid. After much waffling back and fourth, I decided to go with Peco Code 55 track and turnouts. I originally wanted to go with Atlas code 55, but switched to Peco for several reasons. First Peco offers a greater selection of switches and said switches are said to be more reliable than Atlas. I guess I'll find out for sure soon enough. Second, the design of the track allows you to run older equipment from the deep flange days with no modification.

There are downsides however, namely the tie spacing. Peco track is modeled after British prototype track, where the ties are spaced further apart. To be honest with you, it's a minor quibble that only hardcore rivet counters will get their shorts in a knot over. It's still an improvement over Atlas Code 80.

Anyway, I glued down Midwest Products cork roadbed with silicone caulk. After giving it some time to dry, I glued the track down. On my last layout I made the mistake of not installing enough feeder wires. This time I added a set at every other track joint, which works out to approximately every six feet.

Once the glue dried, I hooked a train set power pack up to one of the feeders with some alligator clips and let my Minitrix K4 become the first locomotive to turn a wheel on the layout. Other than one rough solder joint, which was easily fixed with some filing, it ran flawlessly.

Now, the best way to test track work is to run a big six-axel diesel like and SD40-2 or and E8 or long steamers with lots of driving wheels like a 4-8-4. If you can run them around backwards and forwards, your track is done. I spent the next half hour testing my fussiest locomotives and all ran trouble free. I'd say I'm off to a great start.

Built a Platform for my Power Pack

I decided it was time to build a place for my MRC power pack to sit as well as a place to put my beer when I'm running trains. I used some scrap plywood and firing strips. The whole deal probably took no more than 15 minutes to build. A much larger control panel will be built just to the right of the platform.

Finished Installing the Risers and Inclines

Well, I'm definitely married to this track plan now. Once I had the risers and inclines mocked up, I traced their outline with a sharpie and then glued them down. On my last layout, I used foam tack glue. This time around I used silicone caulk. Squeezing a tube of glue can be cumbersome and tough on your hands after a while. A caulking gun on the other hand is a lot quicker. I imagination I'll do the same on the road bed and track.

Once the glue had dried over night, I used plaster cloth (Another Woodland Scenics product) to cover the flex gaps in the riser and inclines. It was a messy job that took a good bit of time. But I;m finally ready for track.

Finished Mocking Up the Riser & Inclines

There are two ways to gain elevation on a model railroad. You can make risers and inclines out of plywood or you can do it the easy way and use these Woodland Scenics flexible styrofoam risers and inclines. As you can see, I chose the latter option. Why fart around with trying to calculate gradients and all that jazz? I prefer to let WS do the hard part. I used four sets of 2% inclines, which raise the track four inches over sixteen feet. I added another four sets of four inch risers. At any rate I pinned the risers to the layout base with some brads and traced their outline with a sharpie. The next project is to glue them down and cover them with plaster cloth. After that, we're finally ready for track.